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UNITED STATES I PATENT OF I E.

PATRICK H. BARRY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

STAIRCAS E.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 486,319, dated November 15, 1892.

A Application filed April 21, 1892. Serial ITO-430,101. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, PATRICK H. BARRY, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Staircases, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to steps or Stairways; and the object of the invention is to prevent scattering or falling of the dust and dirt, as set forth in the following specification and claims and illustrated in the annexed drawing, in which is shown a sectional side elevation of the staircase.

The steps or treads A and platform A are carried by the supports or walls B. The platforms and steps are perforated, so that the dust and dirt from the foot-gear of the people using the stairs will become disengaged and drop through the steps and platforms.

Underneath ordinary perforated or skeleton-like steps or treads A and platforms A, I place trays or troughs C, movable upon suitable'pivots or supports D. The free ends of said troughs are held up by catches or looks E. The dirt falling through the steps is thus caught by the troughs 0. When a suitable time for clearing has arrived, the catches E are released and the troughs 0 swing or drop, so as to discharge or dump the dirt they have collected, whereupon the troughs can be moved or raised back into engagement with the locks E by cords or chains F, secured to the troughs and led over suitable pulleys.

The edges Got the trough may be adapted to overlap or rest astride the supports B to prevent the dirt being laterally scattered, or said edges G may be serrated or step-shaped to fit snugly up against the treads or steps A.

The pivoted trays or troughs will be found particularly useful in those localities where persons require to pass beneath stairways having perforated or skeleton-like treads or steps.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The combination,with the supports and the perforated or skeleton-like treads, of swinging or movable troughs under said treads, pivots for said troughs, and catches or looks for engagingthe free ends of the troughs, substantially as described.

2. The combination,with the supports and the perforated or skeleton like treads, of swinging or movable troughs under said treads,pivots for said troughs, catches or looks for engaging the free ends of the troughs, and cords or chains for raising said troughs, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with the supports and the perforated or skeleton like treads, of swinging or movable troughs under said treads provided with flanges made to rest outside of said supports, pivots for said troughs, and catches or looks for engaging the free ends of the troughs, substantially as described.

4. The combination,with the supports and the perforated or skeleton like treads, of swinging or movable troughs under said treads provided with serrated or step-shaped flanges made to correspond to the steps, pivots for said troughs, and catches or looks for engaging the free ends of the troughs, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

PATRICK I-I. BARRY.

Witnesses WM. 0. HAUFF, E. F. KASTENHUBER. 

